General / Off-Topic Logitech G Saitek X56 for Elite Dangerous

[Calcifur]

Hi all,
I am new to ED and just getting my head round it in solo at the moment. Working through some 'Road to Riches' stuff. Anyway one thing I have discovered is, this game is not suited to gamepad. There are far too many controls for the number of buttons available. And to make it harder I discovered last night there are a number of functions that are not even key bound by default. Plus flight control on a gamepad is terrible. So I want to get a Hotas set up. As I have ps4 and xbox I want to get one that works for both. So my inte toon is to use a CronusMax Plus and logitech x56 (maybe x52 Pro).
Has anyone successfully done this? Also do you know if a keyboard of some kind can be included?

Cheers

 

[tafkabb]

The Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas One is your only option. It works on PC but not PS4. USB keyboards are text input only at the moment.
It doesn't matter what control method you use, none of them will be able to map all of the controls.

 

[Requiem Mortis]

Were you aware you can use button combinations (I believe it's up to 4 buttons at the same time) to map additional controls ?

Think of it as a SHIFT key.

 

[Mole HD]

Hi all,
I am new to ED and just getting my head round it in solo at the moment. Working through some 'Road to Riches' stuff. Anyway one thing I have discovered is, this game is not suited to gamepad. There are far too many controls for the number of buttons available. And to make it harder I discovered last night there are a number of functions that are not even key bound by default. Plus flight control on a gamepad is terrible. So I want to get a Hotas set up. As I have ps4 and xbox I want to get one that works for both. So my inte toon is to use a CronusMax Plus and logitech x56 (maybe x52 Pro).
Has anyone successfully done this? Also do you know if a keyboard of some kind can be included?

Cheers

On PS4 the most commonly used HOTAS available for that is the Thrustmaster T-flight X (the T-flight HOTAS one is the Xbox version of the same stick)...retails on average for around 30 quid or so on Amazon or any reasonable electronics establishment.

The Logitech setups like the X52 Proflight or X56 are PC only for the forseeable future since they are designed for the niche market sim heads in the PC flight sim community...and exactly the reason I have an X56

 

[Calcifur]

Were you aware you can use button combinations (I believe it's up to 4 buttons at the same time) to map additional controls ?
Think of it as a SHIFT key.

Thanks for all the input

Yeah I knew you could do that, I don't really want to have to hit 4 buttons to perform one task though really.

I now that x52/x55/x56 are PC controls, that's not an issue thanks to the Cronusmax and X-aim pluggin, I am just unsure of the details of getting it mapped across. I have seen the x52 being used, albeit on PS4. Just looking for someone that has used the cronus to successfully control their xbox.

 

[fishgotnosole]

Hi all,
I am new to ED and just getting my head round it in solo at the moment. Working through some 'Road to Riches' stuff. Anyway one thing I have discovered is, this game is not suited to gamepad. There are far too many controls for the number of buttons available. And to make it harder I discovered last night there are a number of functions that are not even key bound by default. Plus flight control on a gamepad is terrible. So I want to get a Hotas set up. As I have ps4 and xbox I want to get one that works for both. So my inte toon is to use a CronusMax Plus and logitech x56 (maybe x52 Pro).
Has anyone successfully done this? Also do you know if a keyboard of some kind can be included?

Cheers

Thanks for all the input

Yeah I knew you could do that, I don't really want to have to hit 4 buttons to perform one task though really.

I now that x52/x55/x56 are PC controls, that's not an issue thanks to the Cronusmax and X-aim pluggin, I am just unsure of the details of getting it mapped across. I have seen the x52 being used, albeit on PS4. Just looking for someone that has used the cronus to successfully control their xbox.

How do, Sir. Welcome to the world of ED.

This is one of those scenarios where the phrase "theory is a wonderful thing" probably applies. The Logitech X5* is certainly listed in the list of compatible devices, when using the X-AIM plugin. (As you point out)

The CronusMax Plus, *should* work just fine. As it is simply converting one type of input standard to another. However, I'll wager a crate of space beers and a can of anti-thargon bug spray, that it won't offer FULL functionality of the Logitech X5*'s functions. All those fancy extra buttons, wheels and switches, will likely be dormant. It will imitate a gamepad, as that it was this dongle does. Overlooking the "does everything except curing the common cold" marketing hype, there is no way of telling for sure without hooking it all up, clicking all of the relevant things, and trying it out.

Furthermore, there is another variable to chuck into the mix. ED is looking specifically for a HOTAS One X, set in it's Xbox mode. This guy, claims to have had it working, but that was back in the summer of '15. There have been a few changes within ED since. One of which is that AFAIAA, one cannot use both a T Flight HOTAS AND a Xbox One X controller at the same time. As several HOTAS users would use a controller for SRV, text input, extra button mappings. (If a current HOTAS user could clarify that, thankyouplease)

The upshot of all this is that you could end up spending essentially £100's+ to have it not work. When you could have outlayed that cash on a T-Flight which is known to be working just fine. Have you looked at the CronosMax forum and asked there?

I'd also like to thank you for introducing me to a little bit of hardware that I wasn't previously aware of, doing a bit of research with my morning coffee. That CronusMax Plus thingum could prove to be a dead handy bit of kit, as I'm into ye olde retro emulation.

If you decide to go ahead with it, please do let us know how you get on. [up]

 

[Calcifur]

Indeed, Theory a wonderful thing.

This guy has an X52 Pro running through cronusmax on a PS4, I believe there were a couple of issues that may or may not have been resolved. (joys if people only writting about their issues and not their triumphs)

Anyway, here is my understanding of how it 'Should' work. With the cronusmax comes their software and plugins. If you want to use a ps4 controller on xbox its simply plug and play, if you want to use a PC controller on a console you need to add a laptop/PC in to the mix and run X-AIm to translate PC to Console (put simply). What you can also do is write a script to tell the software what a button on a HOTAS for example should translate into on the game pad. For example....

On the X56 there is a toggle switch below the throttle lever (next to the mode switch) this can be programmed to translate as B+dpad Down, this giving you a single landing gear switch.( you see where this is leading) in theory as you can apparently bind any action in ED to upto 4x buttons (correct me if that is wrong) you can assign a huge number of macros to individual switches, buttons or directions on hat switches.

Again theory is a great thing, I have no doubt it can be done, just would like to see proof of concept. If the guy in the video had an Xbox I would have bought it already.

And lastly, yes I have asked on the Cronus forum, still awaiting a response.......

I will keep you posted with my findings.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

You could buy a decent GPU for the money that the X56 + CronusMax commands.

Then you could save up for the X56 anyway.

I'm sorry but some hardware just isn't meant for consoles.

I really don't understand why people are happy to blow hundreds upon hundreds on control systems, for a gaming rig that is, frankly, horribly under-powered.

Things like the X56 work best on the systems they are actually designed for, that is to say, Windows PCs.

 

[JetsonRING]

The good news is, you do not need to use all of the controls in the game. Elite Dangerous was developed originally as a PC game and then ported to XBox and PlayStation. I play on a PC, use an X-56 and have only about half of the controls mapped both on the keyboard and the HOTAS. o7

 

[Mole HD]

You could buy a decent GPU for the money that the X56 + CronusMax commands.

Then you could save up for the X56 anyway.

I'm sorry but some hardware just isn't meant for consoles.

I really don't understand why people are happy to blow hundreds upon hundreds on control systems, for a gaming rig that is, frankly, horribly under-powered.

Things like the X56 work best on the systems they are actually designed for, that is to say, Windows PCs.

I'd add into the mix that the X56 in particular uses a ton of voltage from the USB slots. It needs 2xUSB 3 to operate without minor errors as I found out. I had mine plugged into 2xUSB2 ports on the back of my PC but got really irritated with constant twitchy drift errors which I had to constantly keep correcting out in the Logitech software...stick not centering, throttle not registering full range movement...etc, etc.

I added an internal PCi card with 2 powered USB3 sockets and all was rosy...the USB2 wasn't quite pushing out enough voltage for the HOTAS also leading to problems with anything else on that particular USB bus being starved of voltage.

I know the X One X has 2 USB3 sockets, not sure on the PS4 since I don't have one...but quite frankly, it's not enough, I'm not even certain if the USB bus on consoles would push out enough voltage to operate the X56 within reasonable tolerances.

The X52 being a single USB also hits the same voltage problems on USB2 sockets..especially if you have anything else on the same bus or neighbouring socket so it doesn't really solve the voltage issue. It will work on USB2 as long as you don't have anything else plugged into the other socket... or nothing else is sharing the USB bus power supply.

It's hardly worth mentioning the almost essential Logitech programming software for the X5* series which won't work on console...yes, you can configure it within a Windows environment using the joy.cpl command function...but only partially....and also not available on console.

As the Horsey one said...if you seriously want to go running those type of HOTAS rigs, you need to consider moving to PC or making do with whatever Microsoft/Sony throw out of their doors.

The consoles are custom built for folks who really don't want the hassle of persistently configuring hardware or faffing about with drivers/3rd party software etc just to make things work and they are very good at doing just that...But if you like that messing about thing... like I do, then PC is the obvious choice. I spent upwards of 7 years on the Xbox before heading back to the dark side...I just missed the faffing about, the hardware options ...and my flight sims

As much as the Cronus Max and suchlike are generally OK for things like G13 game controllers, they're not quite up to running a HOTAS rig like the X5* series without wasting an overly large amount of time and effort...not to mention cash layout... for a very poor result if any at all.

 

[Calcifur]

Re Voltage issues, not a problem as the HOTAS is routed through a PC in to the Console via the CronusMax.

Re. Price, you are correct you could buy a GPU for that money, not much use with out the attached £££'s to build a gaming PC (something I intend to do in the future)

Currently this is a concept I am working on as I intend to get the cronusmax anyway for other X-console applications, I want 1 HOTAS that I can run on my PS4, Xbox and eventually the PC I will be completing (its already a fully functioning rig, it just needs a proper GPU and some updated components)

So the reasons for looking onto this are as above, plus 'Just because'. Most accounts I have of the xbox compatible HOTAS out there is that they either only OK or Poor. Since noone wants to give Xbox a halfway decent unit why not make it happen ourselves. Also I have found the XBOX to be perfectly capable of going what it was built to do. Mine is an original Day One edition and still going fine. I haven't upgraded to the OneX yet and intend to wait until the new Xbox launches in 2020 to make the jump. I have never been a PC gamer but for some games I may add a modest gaming rig to the arsenal.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

Re Voltage issues, not a problem as the HOTAS is routed through a PC in to the Console via the CronusMax.

Re. Price, you are correct you could buy a GPU for that money, not much use with out the attached £££'s to build a gaming PC (something I intend to do in the future)

Currently this is a concept I am working on as I intend to get the cronusmax anyway for other X-console applications, I want 1 HOTAS that I can run on my PS4, Xbox and eventually the PC I will be completing (its already a fully functioning rig, it just needs a proper GPU and some updated components)

So the reasons for looking onto this are as above, plus 'Just because'. Most accounts I have of the xbox compatible HOTAS out there is that they either only OK or Poor. Since noone wants to give Xbox a halfway decent unit why not make it happen ourselves. Also I have found the XBOX to be perfectly capable of going what it was built to do. Mine is an original Day One edition and still going fine. I haven't upgraded to the OneX yet and intend to wait until the new Xbox launches in 2020 to make the jump. I have never been a PC gamer but for some games I may add a modest gaming rig to the arsenal.

TBH that sounds like "I want it now".

Trust me. If you're planning on building a PC anyway, get that done first. Then you can look at getting your high-end controls. It's important to start with the core system.

And to be brutally honest, the Xbox doesn't cut it as that core system.

 

[Calcifur]

Want what now!??

The xbox has been my 'core' gaming experience for over 10yrs, it does everything I want it to do. Sure it doesn't deliver 300fps and 8k detail and all that that PC gamers get all bent out of shape about, but unless you have the top of the range screen to play it through all that graphics power is just a waste of time. As you can no doubt tell am not a hard core gamer. I never have been nor will I be. But I do enjoy gaming on any platform. But my gaming core will always be a console.

I don't intend to by using a brand new HOTAS for this, it will be a used unit so it is going to be about the price of a new concole setup, plus as said before I will be getting a cronus anyway so may as well make the most of it.

 

[Neilski]

Were you aware you can use button combinations (I believe it's up to 4 buttons at the same time) to map additional controls ?

Think of it as a SHIFT key.

Yeah, I was thrilled when I realised that my (cheap + nasty, 7 quid) gamepad was automagically recognised by ED with a shedload of buttons mapped to do things differently when combined with others. Superb for trading, mining, exploring, once you get your head around the massive number of combinations.

Then I realised that in combat it wasn't quite so awesome: B is boost, RB is throttle up; but B+RB = toggle FA... LOL. Also, to make things just a wee bit worse, holding throttle up and then hitting B for a boost ends the movement of the throttle (but at least it doesn't toggle FA!).

This is a bit part of why I'm also seriously considering a HOTAS. (The fact that I realised the gamepad has a horrid deadzone is also a factor.)

 

[Mole HD]

Want what now!??

The xbox has been my 'core' gaming experience for over 10yrs, it does everything I want it to do. Sure it doesn't deliver 300fps and 8k detail and all that that PC gamers get all bent out of shape about, but unless you have the top of the range screen to play it through all that graphics power is just a waste of time. As you can no doubt tell am not a hard core gamer. I never have been nor will I be. But I do enjoy gaming on any platform. But my gaming core will always be a console.

I don't intend to by using a brand new HOTAS for this, it will be a used unit so it is going to be about the price of a new concole setup, plus as said before I will be getting a cronus anyway so may as well make the most of it.

Ok...I certainly admire your resolve as much as I still think it's a fools errand, I've been there and tried it. The reality is that if you want the hardware toys to play certain games with, you first need the box to plug them into. Unfortunately, that box is a bit bigger and more expensive than a Cronus Max....

Spoiler

This is my particular box of tricks...

...and the desktop setup with the One X on the bottom monitor via an HDMi splitter...

I play on both Xbox and PC, primarily PC due to the games/sims I usually play and enjoy, but I had to have the One X for RDR2 and the extensive game library I still have on my Xbox Live account.

I've never fussed much about a magic little number counter on my screens telling me how fast my PC is running a game, nor am I fussed about playing in 4 or 8K even though I can.
I simply came to the realisation a couple of years ago that no matter how much I wanted the Xbox to be my gaming platform for everything...it simply could never be due to it's limitations with 3rd party peripherals, miserable modding support (Since I'm a keen modder) and extreme lack of niche market space/flight sims (Elite excepted of course, but there are many others exclusive to PC) meaning I had to spend some cash to get the best of both worlds.

At the end of the day my regular gaming expenses are a lot less on PC to offset the initial cost of the bits I used to build it...cheaper games, no online subs...although I do have Xbox live gold for the Xbox which kinda defeats that purpose....but an Xbox without Xbox Live? Nah.. [squeeeee]

The Xbox is getting better with the recent keyboard/mouse support but still 2 years too late to entice me back to playing exclusively on such a (currently) limited gaming platform... for me at any rate

The Xbox is a nice bit of kit...I love it for what it does...still dislike it for what it doesn't. My PC has everything less the casual convenience of the Xbox...but if you're going to go to such lengths and expense to force hardware never designed to run on the platform to work to a very limited degree if at all...you're losing even that benefit.

Horses for courses.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

Ok...I certainly admire your resolve as much as I still think it's a fools errand. If you want the hardware toys to play certain games with, you first need the box to plug it into. Unfortunately, that box is a bit bigger and more expensive than a Cronus Max....

Spoiler

This is my particular box of tricks...



...and the desktop setup with the One X on the bottom monitor via an HDMi splitter...

I play on both Xbox and PC, primarily PC due to the games/sims I usually play and enjoy, but I had to have the One X for RDR2 and the extensive game library I still have on my Xbox Live account.

I've never fussed much about a magic little number counter on my screens telling me how fast my PC is running a game, nor am I fussed about playing in 4 or 8K. I simply came to the realisation a couple of years ago that no matter how much I wanted the Xbox to be the gaming platform for everything...it simply could never be due to it's limitations with 3rd party peripherals, miserable modding support and extreme lack of niche market space/flight sims (Elite excepted of course, but there are many others only on PC) meaning I had to spend some cash on the PC.

At the end of the day my regular gaming expenses are a lot less on PC to offset the initial cost...cheaper games, no online subs...although I do have Xbox live gold for the Xbox which kinda defeats that purpose....but an Xbox without Xbox Live? Nah.. [squeeeee]

The Xbox is getting better with the recent keyboard/mouse support but still 2 years too late to entice me back to playing on such a (currently) limited gaming platform... for me at any rate

The Xbox is a nice bit of kit...I love it for what it does...still dislike it for what it doesn't. My PC has everything less the casual convenience of the Xbox... horses for courses.

This OP.

The Xbox is just really limited.

I'm afraid that's quite by design by Microsoft.

For whatever reason, Microsoft does not want you to explorer the full world of gaming, and they build their systems to force you into their eco-system.

There's a reason Microsoft markets repainted gamepads so heavily, and doesn't market other controls at all.

They don't want you using other controls.

Now it's true I play most games on PC with a gamepad... But I do so out of choice. My keyboard is right there if I want it. And saying that, you can't use my Razer Sabertooth on the Xbox One anyway. Another reason I prefer PC. You can keep using your legacy devices. (The Sabertooth is an Xbox 360 controller)

 

[Calcifur]

Of course its limited, its a games console built for one thing and one thing only, to play games, and more importantly to be accessible to as many people as possible. A PC will always be more versatile and, depending on how much money you can afford to through at it, more powerful than a games console. I don't dispute that.

However, that being said, I didn't come here to argue about whether an Xbox is better than a PC or what I would be better spending my money on, I came to ask if anyone had successfully setup a saitek HOTAS and Cronusmax to work on XBOX.

 

[Mole HD]

Of course its limited, its a games console built for one thing and one thing only, to play games, and more importantly to be accessible to as many people as possible. A PC will always be more versatile and, depending on how much money you can afford to through at it, more powerful than a games console. I don't dispute that.

However, that being said, I didn't come here to argue about whether an Xbox is better than a PC or what I would be better spending my money on, I came to ask if anyone had successfully setup a saitek HOTAS and Cronusmax to work on XBOX.

Fair enough...I think the answer is no then.

It's not about performance at the end of the day since the Xbox has always punched well above it's weight when compared to PC's...neither was any of the advice you were offered about debating the performance of one versus the other ... suitability for purpose and versatility perhaps.

The only regret I have is that if you'd been a week earlier with the post, I would have donated my old Saitek blue X56 free for you to test the possibilities...unfortunately, I posted it off to a mate after Logitech sent me a brand new Logitech branded X56 RGB as a free warranty replacement, so apologies for that.

I'd still be interested in the results if you manage to get any info or testing time.

 

[Calcifur]

Haha, this is indeed unfortunate timing!!! I will indeed report back with my results. I have found plenty of posts of people asking for what I seek. But no one ever seems to post up whether they got a result or not.

Watch this space.....

 

[Cmdr Nemo]

Incorrect: The PS4 Hotas is the Hotas T Flight 4. Not the T Flight X.